Living Lotus...a woman's journal

Train Ride to Oregon

2011-09-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

Last week I took a train to Oregon to visit my daughter in Eugene. The 14-hour ride was enjoyable and I got to meet some nice people on the train. I was lucky to get a space in the Observation car with its massive glass windows. Here passengers can watch the scenic view roll by. The weather was warm and sunny and I managed to take some pictures from inside the train.

It was noon when I reached Eugene—after a light lunch near the train depot I took a cab to her apartment. It was a two-bedroom studio located in a nice neighborhood on the west side of Eugene. It is within walking distance to downtown and the university where she goes to school. On the desk she had left me a downtown map and a Korean movie to watch. That was awfully sweet and thoughtful of her.
When Melissa got home from her work, she took me downtown to shop for groceries. I also brought some foodstuffs and spices to prepare her favorite dishes. Most evenings we cooked at home and any leftovers she took to work. I enjoy cooking for my kids, as I often worry if they have time to cook a decent meal for themselves.

In the afternoon, when she was at work, I walked downtown and spent hours sightseeing and window shopping. There are quite a few shops that I love to visit whenever I’m in Eugene. One of my favorite is the Pewter Rabbit, an antique shop. There are other shops that offer vintage jewelry and clothing.

The weekend before my departure, she drove us to Portland and spent a night in downtown. She wanted to take me to the Rhododendron Gardens, but unfortunately it has started to rain and we had to buy an umbrella. Instead we spent a couple of hours in the Hawthorne District, an area in Southeast Portland. It has numerous quaint retail vintage and clothing stores, including my favorite; Powell’s bookstore. This is a good place to shop for affordable and inexpensive gifts.

The other place we visited was the Alphabetical District, located in the northwest of Portland. It is a densely populated area with old Portland-style houses as well as trendy retail stores, restaurants and bars. We spent most of the afternoon window-shopping and when we got tired, we had truffles over a cup of coffee at the local café.
For dinner, she took me to Pembiche, an authentic Latin American restaurant, offering Cuban food. The building has a funky color of blue, yellow, and green exterior paintings. The interior is colorfully decorated with outside seating and heated lamps for those cooler nights. Their menu has a variety of mouth-watering dishes and we wanted to try all of them (if we had two stomachs, we would eat like a cow).

For starters, we each ordered one of their specialty drinks: Palm Beach Cooler (fruit juice, mint wine cooler); Pinosa (pineapple juice with sparkling wine), and Empanadas. Our drinks came in tall glasses and it was delicious and refreshing. Our chicken Empanadas had a hot and crispy crust with tender chicken meat and a side of tasty coleslaw. It was so good that we polished the plate clean.

For our entrées, I ordered Rabo Encendido (braised oxtail in spicy Creole wine sauce). Melissa had the Pescado con Coco (red snapper simmered in coconut pepper sauce). Our entrée was unbelievably delicious and the servings were large enough for the two of us. It was a fun place to be and a great spot for a casual meal. I will definitely return again.

Some goodies from my trip:

Indeed, I have had a wonderful visit with my daughter and her company is so comforting and enjoyable. It was a nice treat for myself, thank you my darling girl!

Circus in town

2011-07-10T00:15:00.000-07:00

I remembered the last time I've been to a circus was years ago in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Across the street from my sister's shop on Bukit Bintang Road, was an amusement theme park that was opened throughout the year. Inside the open and dusty ground were a large circus tent, two carousel rides, games and fun booths, and even a Chinese opera theater. Sometimes, my mother would take me to watch her Chinese operas. I enjoyed listening to the traditional Chinese string and percussion instruments that provide a rhythmic accompaniment to the acting of body gestures, and singing. Some of the story is sad and quite melodramatic.
Anyway, the circus is in our town this week, and I have tickets for the two of us to see it tonight. It was fun to watch the live performance of acrobats, flying trapeze, and clowns in their full regalia. Which reminds me of a movie I've watched recently about circus. The name of the movie is Water for Elephants and it's about a ninety year old man reminiscing on the time he spent as a circus veterinarian during the Great Depression.

Weekend at the Wine Country

2011-07-06T15:45:00.000-07:00

Yountville is a nice place to visit if you like wine tasting and lush scenery. It is a quaint little town surrounded by wineries, spas and eateries. There are a decent number of restaurants in town, to name a few, The French Laundry; Ad Hoc; Buchon Bakery, and Bistro Jeanty. The famous French restaurant, voted the top 50 restaurants of the world is The French Laundry. The chef and owner of this restaurant is Thomas Keller, who is also owner of the Ad Hoc, Buchon and Per Se in New York. Reservation to The French Laundry is required and has to be made months ahead in advance. The dinner consists of two nine course prix fixe menus daily as well as several tasting menus. If you are interested to know the cost of dining here, it's exclusively pricey.

Anyway, we did have lunch in at Bistro Jeanty, a cozy and warm restaurant with both inside and patio seating. The food is mainly French with contemporary American influences and the dining area is warm and inviting. The food is superb and the service wonderful, and we enjoyed our meal. We wanted to bring home some pastries from Buchon, unfortunately the shop is packed with tourists and we thought it wouldn't be a good idea as we have a long drive home in the warm weather.

Onion Soup gratineé

Crispy Smelt with spicy aioli

Quiche aux Pioreaux (ham and leek quiche with butter lettuce salad)

Coq au Vin, (Chicken, mushrooms, bacon & red wine)

Mousse au Chocolat Brûlée,(chocolate mousse crème brûlée)

Citron Givré, (lemon sorbet in a lemon)

Camino Restaurant, Oakland

2011-04-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, John and I had dinner with Kwan and Steven at Camino Restaurant in Oakland, which is a few blocks from the Grand Lake Theatre. The restaurant is a large brick building with glass windows giving passers-by a good glimpse of the restaurant. The main attraction is the kitchen area, where there is a large hearth with a warm and inviting hard wood fire. In front of it is a long table with a delectable array of breads, meat, and vegetables.

The interior of the restaurant has a rustic resemblance to a medieval castle or 18th century dining hall with long wooden communal tables and antique chairs that have wooden pockets on the back. I love the tall ceilings, which is resplendent with iron wrought chandeliers and the soft radiance from the lighting gives the room a warm and welcoming ambiance. The other interesting focus of the restaurant is the coat hanger rack. It is on the wall by the entrance with a row of old iron shoe horns.

After a round of drinks and appetizers, we ordered our food. Their menu changes each day of the week using the freshest meat and seasonal locally grown vegetables from sustainable farms. We had a hard time deciding as everything on the menu looks interesting and tempting, that I want to have it all. Finally we'd decided to each choose a different entrée on the menu to sample. The meal started off with a platter of warmed bread served with butter and sea salt, then comes our orders: baked clams, salmon with wild nettle on crusty bread, followed with our entrée: roast prime rib, smoked sardines, king trumpets, farro with poached eggs and greens. The dishes are deliciously prepared with an aroma of smokiness from the wood fire.

We were sharing and tasting nibble of food from each other’s plate. By far, the best entrée was the roast prime rib and grilled sardines. The beef was juicy and tender and the sardine is tasty grilled to perfection. It was so good that we finished all our food on the table. For desserts, we had Shaker lemon pie with a buckwheat pie crust, chocolate fondant cake, Crème fraîche sherbet with huckleberries and lemon cookies. The desserts were so delicious that we polished them off. It's a shame that I didn't get a chance to take pictures of the desserts as my camera ran out of battery. Nevertheless, we are pleased with the meal--It was a scrumptious and delightful evening and I have had a wonderful experience.

Garden Painting

2011-04-24T17:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while I was out running an errand, John got a surprise visitor when he opened the front door. A lady asked if she could paint our garden. For a moment he was perplexed and thought she actually want to paint the garden as you might paint a house. He then realized that she is an artist who like to use the flowers in our garden as the subject matter.
When I came home later in the afternoon, I was caught by surprise to see a stranger sitting at the edge of the garden painting. After a brief introduction, I was pleased and honored that she picked our garden in the neighborhood. It was indeed a pleasant surprise! Her name is Carolyn Lord, a water colorist who has several of her paintings displayed in galleries in Monterey and Sonoma. She showed me the painting before she left and we exchanged some ideas about cooking and kids. I was happy to hear that her son goes to the same school as my kids and I invited her inside the house to show her their paintings and sculptures.

Early bird gets its prey

2011-04-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

This morning we saw two black crows flying and squawking around a red tailed hawk that was perched on top of the lamp post. The hawk had its prey (a squirrel) in its beak and the crows were trying very hard to get to its breakfast. The hawk paid no attention to the crows at all. Our cat, Pogue, is probably not to happy because he likes rats and squirrels and has sometimes left them whole or half eaten on our back porch. It was quite a sight to watch on an cloudy Easter morning.

TGIF in Sacramento

2011-04-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

TGIF--thank God it's friday! Last friday was my day off---and our daughter was in town for an archeaology convention. We were thrilled that she had time to see us, so we drove down to have lunch with her at Tamaya in midtown Sacramento. The restaurant is quite nice and bright inside--the food is nicely prepared and service is friendly and efficient. Unfortunately, she couldn't spent time with us after lunch as they have to return to the convention. So what do the parents do? We've decided to visit a few of the antique shop before heading home. I had fun rummaging through the dusty boxes and in one of them, I found some interesting jelly molds. One of them has a cow design and it only $2.00 a piece. John found some old postcards from the late 50's and some music CD's.

Weekend Gardening

2011-04-08T00:30:00.000-07:00

I love weekends as they give me the opportunity to work in the garden early in the morning. We have two gardens, one in the front and one in the back. There is so much to do beside weeding and planting. We had to chop down an old privet tree that was beside the white shed to bring more light to the garden. It took us over two weekends to saw each trunk down and haul it to the dumpster. By the end of the day we were exhausted. We even planted a persimmon tree in the new garden (a gift from our kids). Around the tree, I've planted perennials, some annual flowers and fragrant herbs.

There are two redwood vegetable boxes in the middle of the backyard and the area around them is covered with overgrown grass and weeds. The weeds and grass have grown long and thick and need mowing. I try my best to avoid having to walk on the grass. It sounds silly, but I imagine (like the saying) that there are snakes in the grass. I let the chickens out to forage in the grass for worms and insects. Last week when the grass was not too wet from the rain, John mowed around the boxes and created a pathway that I could walk between them. I was really glad he did that as it allows me to amend the soil in the boxes and plant my vegetables. I have rows of beans, carrots, beets, herbs, salad greens and Asian vegetables and I place markers between them. Meanwhile, I look forward to warmer days as it's fun to see the seeds begins to sprout from the dirt to greet the warm sun.

The flowers and shrubs in the front yard have begun to bloom with bursting colors of reds, pinks, purple and yellow. When the weather permits, I would sit in the garden to knit and enjoy the pretty flowers and its fragrance. My tree peonies have started its second season of flowering and have a lovely vibrant red color. It looks so majestic in the garden among the rest of the flowers--I don't have the heart to cut it for flower arrangement. There were some butterflies on the lavender bush and I managed to get a picture of it.

So much for now, do check back soon for pictures of my darling ladies (flowers)

Cat News

2011-04-07T18:36:00.000-07:00

The past few months the weather was unbelievably cold and wet. Even our cat, Pogue is cuddling inside his cat house during the day. John made the box for him and attached a small bulb inside to keep him warm at night. He put his house next to backstairs so we could see him from inside the house. Every morning he'll sit by the steps and wait patiently for one of us to feed him. When we first got him last fall, he used to sit infront of our bedroom window and and purr to get our attention. We could hear his little bell jingling and we know it's time to get up. Whenever I walked to the feed the chickens, he would walk beside me and keep me company. Sometimes, he'd bring little gifts (dead rats) for us and leave it at the backyard. My daughter said it's her way of telling us he like us. Yuck! Btw, Pogue belongs to our daughter, Melissa who is away in college.

Christmas Surprise!

2011-03-20T09:23:00.000-07:00

Last Christmas my kids, Melissa, Kwan, and Steven got together and landscape our backyard, with Kwan as the leading designer. That was so thoughtful and sweet of them to do that--I was overjoyed and pleased with the layout and the lovely pathways for pavers. Thank you for this wonderful gift! I can't wait to see the lovely shrubs and flowers that I already have in mind to put in the freshly dug flower beds.

Birthday--A Foodie Delight!

2011-02-20T21:55:00.000-08:00

To celebrate my birthday, my kids took me to Dim Sum at Yank Sing in San Francisco. It was one of the busiest spots day in the city for traditional Dim Sum--if you don't mind waiting for table. We had an hour of wait time for our table, so we walked to the Ferry Buildling which is about a block from the restaurant. The weather was perfect for a stroll as it was sunny and cool.

We had pastries and lattes at Blue Bottle Cafe--where they brew and serve organic cofee and the barristas make swirly patterns in the foam topping of your drinks. It is an art that involves practice and years to master the techniques and skills. There were many specialty shops inside the Ferry building selling breads, chocolates, plants, and the best of all is the farmer's market. It is a delightful place to visit if you like window shopping. We had cone salumi at Baccolone, a specialty shop for artisan cured pork in the most interesting flavors of spices and heritage-breed pork. We had a sampling of fresly sliced salumi : Capocollo, Soppressata, Mortadella serve in a paper cone. My favorite is Soppressata, a blend of different meats and and has a spicy and peppery taste. Oh boy, I could eat a bunch of it if we didn't have plans for Dim Sum.

Thin slices of salumi from Baccolone

White and Black Truffles at Far West Fungi

When the hour was up, we walked back to our original destination and sat down to another feast of warm tea and hot steaming trays of dumplings and buns. I had a wonderful time and wished my daughter wasn't so far away at college, so she could have joined us.When I got home, I had another surprise from my dear friend. There on the doorsteps, was a plate of stir-fried noodles! Noodles, are significant to birthdays as they signify longevitiy in Chinese custom. Thank you---I am truly blessed!

Orchid plant from Kwan and Steven

Potted Clivia from Kwan and Steven

Hand made bag and a virtual card from Terriea in Hong Kong

This is one of my favorite nursery rhymes and thought it would be nice to share. It is an old English fortune-telling song used to tell a child's character. Can you guess mine?

Monday's child is fair of face,

Tuesday's child is full of grace,

Wednesday's child is full of woe,

Thursday's child has far to go,

Friday's child is loving and giving.

Saturday's child works hard for a living,

But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day (Sunday)

Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.

Yarns Extravaganza!

2011-02-19T08:04:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I attended Stitches West, a west coast knitting convention. It is a knitter's haven of fabulous yarns, fibers, fashion, crafting ideas and designs---and most of all, meeting new friends. The event coincides with the week of my birthday and I often take the time off work to attend this convention. I spend the entire day shopping and browsing each booth for new ideas. In one of the booths, the actress Ali McGraw was doing a book signing for a presenter from New York. It was a day of fun!

Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T20:40:00.000-08:00

Just a wee update on what I did on Valentine's Day---the most celebrated time of the year for couples. A study shows that an average American spent over $100 on this day on flower and gifts. Well, there are many lucky couples out there and I happen to be one of them. John made dinner for the both of us---a delicious ham and cheese quiche. Thank you! It was indeed a lovely surprise.

Gong Hay Fat Choy!

2011-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

This year, Chinese New Year begins on February 3, 2011 which is a full moon and traditionally it is celebrated for fifteen days. Every year is an annual celebration of an animal, and this year it is the rabbit! I hope this year brings us much joy, peace and good health. Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is my favorite festival as it is about celebrating with family and friends. The most exciting part of the event is the eve of New Year, where family members from far and near come home to a sumptuous reunion dinner---a feast of glorious food! Traditions and rituals are observed in every detail of the food served on the table. The dinner is usually a combination of meat, seafood, and dumplings. Certain foods are prepared for their auspicious meanings and signifies different wishes.

A listing of food and what it means:

Chinese New Year cake: "Nian Gao", a glutinous rice flour steamed cake--signify a year of much growth and prosperity
Dried oysters: "Ho Xi", in Cantonese signify for all things good
Fish: "Yu" in Cantonese, signifies surplus every year
Fat Choy: an edible hair-like seaweed to bring prosperity and wealth
Mandarin oranges: "Kum" in Cantonese signifies luck or fortune
Shrimp: "Haa" in Cantonese signifies happiness and joy.
Lotus root: "Lin Go signifies ?
Pineapple: "Wong Lai" signifies prosperity
Yu Shan: raw fish salad to bring surplus and growth in prosperity

If you are still uncertain of what to serve, I like to share some of my recipes from Mztasty's Kitchen. (click on link to view recipes).

In addition to food, rules are taken into consideration and followed during the festival. In every Chinese household the entire house is thoroughly cleaned to sweep away ill-fortune and to make way for good luck.
Windows and doors are decorated with red paper couplets written in popular themes of "happiness", "prosperity", and "longevity". The house are decorated with fresh flowers and green plants, such as plum blossoms and chrysanthemums (symbolize prosperity), bamboo, pine (symbolize longevity) and peony (for fragrance and beauty). Debts are settled and any old quarrels are amended. Each member of the family wear new clothing on New Year's day.

Gifts are exchanged during this festival as an act of respect, good fortune, and gracious etiquette. Some of the appropriate and welcomed gifts are: baskets of fruit, such as mandarin oranges, pomelo, kumquats; bottle of wine or liquor; and red packets filled with money in even number and it is given to children and unmarried adults. (only married couples give out red packets). During the 15-day celebration, a certain day is designated as “birthdays” for earthly beings and/or crops by acknowledging and paying homage on their day of creation, while the rest of the days are allotted for family visits.
The days are designated as such:

First day: pay respects to ancestors, or temple visit. Vegetarian diet is observed on this day; Birthday of chickens.
Second day: Birthday of dogs; married women to visit their birth parents.
Third day: Birthday of pigs; To make room for new luck, floors can be swept, but the garbage is kept inside the house and not remove until the 5th day.
Fourth day: Birthday of ducks and sheep; Pray for good luck to the God of Wealth for another prosperous year-the location of praying varies each year.
Fifth day: Birthday of cows and Gods of the Five Directions; A safe day to empty the trash.
Sixth day: Birthday of horses.
Seventh day: Birthday of mankind--yet another day to celebrate with “yee san”, a raw fish salad.
Eighth day: Birthday of rice; The birthday of the Jade Emporer (ruler of heaven)
Ninth day: Birthday of fruits and vegetables—Vegan be happy :)
Tenth day: Birthday of all grains.
Eleventh/Twelfth day: Allotted for family visits.
Thirteenth day: Birtday of Guan Yu, the Chinese God of War; eat a full day of vegetarian meal for purity and to clean out the stomach due to consuming too much of good food.
Forteen day: Allotted for family visits.
Fifteen day: Lantern festival and pray to God of Destiny and Goddess of the Sea. This day, also known as "Chap Goh Mei". Unmarried maidens toss oranges into the river in hope to bring them a prospective husbands. Other items includes, pebbles for a house or coins for treasures.

Other traditions to follow:

Do not wash your hair on the first day of the New Year as it is means to wash off your luck.
Hang red packets and red lanterns around the house to usher more good luck.
No cutting and using sharp objects during the first day of the celebration.
No beating or scolding and the word death or the number four are not mentioned as it symbolizes death in Chinese.
Do not serve tofu, as white signifies death
The dragon dance is performed in some househould or businees. Firecrackers are set off, as this is believed to scare off evil spirits with a loud BANG!
If there is a death in the family in the year prior to the Chinese New Year, the mourning family members do not participate in the celebration.

Books/other resources:
http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year
http://www.chinahighlights.com/community/cards

What was that?

2011-01-23T14:19:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh! Guess what was in store for us when we came home from our month long stay away from home? In front of the house in the driveway was a make shift structure of two 10-ft ladders with a wooden beam lashed on top of them.. Under this structure was a 50-gallon drum filled with water boiling away over a propane stove. The mastermind behind this project is none other than our son, Kwan. He was pasturising a bail of straw for incubating mushrooms spawns. After the straw has cooked for the right amount of time, it is then hauled out of the drum and set down in his truck to cool completely before packing it into bags with the mushroom spawns. He has already been successful in growing shitake mushrooms at their house. For greater details about the process, check out his blog.

Holiday Greetings-2010!

2010-12-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

Hello December! Time flies so quickly---it is almost like a roller coaster. This is the time of the year for putting up the Christmas decorations and hope Santa brings me a nice gift. It also the time of the year that had me reminiscing about the many holidays I've spent with family and friends. Last year we had a potluck party at our house. We had so much food and a blast at opening mystery gifts under the Christmas tree.

Certainly, life is not always cheerful and bright as it has its ups and down. Nevertheless, the year brings much joy to me---as I had the opportunity to a 2-week trip to Korea, and to Canada for our son's wedding. Last but not least, my daughter has decided to stay another year to complete her master degree at UO. I couldn’t have asked for more! Here’s wishing all a pleasant Christmas and a sweet 2011!

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-25T17:34:00.000-08:00

To my family, friends and bloggers---here's wishing you a safe and blessed Thanksgiving! Of all the holidays, I like Thanksgiving as it has more significance and meaning to it. It is a day to offer thanks, sharing and spreading the holiday cheer of happiness with family and friends. I am thankful for the beauty and life that is around us and for the wonderful people who I have for support and to love.

Just like any household in America, we celebrated with a grand ole turkey and all its trimmings: stuffing’s, gravy, beans with pancetta and pumpkin pie for dessert. Since there are only the two of us this year and I don't want to have too much leftovers. This time, I roast a turkey breast that comes pre-packed in the supermarkets with a pop-up thermometer and cooking instructions--one can never go wrong! Of course, the taste is not quite the same as roasting a whole turkey, but nevertheless we had a Turkey! The highlight of the this holiday also brings forth the mood of baking some of my favorites, such as spiced nuts; rugelach; and biscotti. It is great to bake in this cold and wintry weather as it keeps the house warm and toasty and fills the room with the aroma of cooking. I am happiest in my kitchen and at the end of the day of cooking and blogging--it is gratifying!

Nicky, My Pet Hamster

2010-08-12T21:39:00.000-07:00

When I saw this furry hamster at the pet store, I just had to buy it! It is fluffy and adorable and I couldn't resist not bringing it home. It is a Russian dwarf hamster and is typically half the size of a regular hamster. This particular species are so small that they can slip through any cracks and escape. I didn't realize it until I brought it home in a nice wire cage--it was a terrible mistake! The hamster is already maneuvering itself between the wire and trying to escape. I had to quickly put him into a box and took him back to the store for a suitable container. He sleeps most of the day and come out to run on the wheel at night. It is amusing to watch him buried and covered itself with the wood chips. Sometimes I would take him out carefully and put him into a plastic ball where he can run around the house.

Trip to Korea

2010-08-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I was in South Korea for an exciting shopping and food adventure. The flight to Incheon airport took about 16 hours. It was late in the afternoon when I arrived and the weather was warm and humid. I took a bus in front of the airport to my hotel in downtown Seoul, which is about an hour drive from the airport. The bus fare was KW10,000 which is equivalent to US$10. The bus ride was comfortable and the bus driver was courteous and helpful. On the way I saw many modern buildings and freeway that leads to different parts of districts and cities in Korea. Much to my delight, my hotel has a shuttle bus that transport guests to downtown every hour of the day. How convenient and wonderful for me!

Downtown Seoul is a metropolitan city with a blend of modern buildings and older architecture and Korean palaces. There are at least five grand looking palaces in downtown from the Chosen and Joseon dynasties. Most of them were destroyed in the war and what’s remained today was restored and is opened to the public for tours. One of the oldest building and my favorite is the Bank of Korea. There are several underground walkways that lead to subways for pedestrians to walk from one building to another without having to cross the road. Here in the underground, there are shops selling all sorts of things. One can get quite lost if you are not careful. Korea is indeed a mecca for shopping for inexpensive clothing and shoes if you know where to go. There are also many open markets within walking distance from downtown that offer goods for both tourists and local shoppers. Taxi rides are inexpensive and tips are not welcome in Korea.
Here are the few places that I've been during my brief visit:
1) Namdaemun, or south market (click link to read more)
2) Myeong-dong market (click link to read more)
3) Itaewon (click link to read more)
4) Lotte and Shinsagea Department Stores (click link to read more)
5) Insa-dong market (click link to read more)
6) Day tour of Korean Palaces (click on link to read more)
My friend took me to a few great restaurants for dinner and lunch. I have had a great deal of beef bulgogi and bibimbap. There is this wonderful country side restaurant in Gimpo-gu that serves bibimpab in piping hot stoneware with different varieties of banchan dishes on a low table. One of my favorite was a side dish of fresh green pepper with a bean dipping sauce. It is a mixture of chopped mushrooms, peppers, bean paste. The taste is mildly salty and sweet with a distinctive flavor. It is great with the fresh green pepper. It's a pity that I couldn't bring some home. (Mouse over any pictures for larger view)

Another place that I must mention is this restaurant in Ilsan-gu that offers fusion Korean meals. We were served many different kind of dishes presented in the most delectable way and style. Each dish has a different taste, texture and flavor and is prepared to compliment one dish to the other. There is this dish of fresh stalks of young ginseng served on top of some fresh moss and honey on the side. To eat it, you would pick up the ginseng and carefully roll the young shoots of leaves around the root and dip it into the thick honey. The taste is sweet because of the honey with a slightly earthy and tannin taste. It is quite an interesting flavor that is difficult to discern. I had a feast of my life and it is indeed a pleasurable meal to one's taste buds and the presentation is too pretty to eat. Not to mentioned we had the best Soju, which is a distilled beverage native to Korea. It's taste is a bit like Vodka and this one is quite good.

Towards the last day of my visit, a friend took me for a drive towards the northern end of Seoul. I saw some guard towers manned by one or two soldiers. Thy took me to visit the The Demilitarized Zone (DMV), which is a strip of land divided by a river across the Korean Peninsula. It serves as a buffer zone between North and South Korea. There were rows of telescopes to see across South Korea. Here I could see a few rows of tall concrete buildings that resembles apartment, but it doesn't seem to be occupied. There is a famous story about the tiger and the rice cake lady. It is about how the tiger threatens the rice cake lady and get its way in the end. The tiger is North Korea and the rice cake lady is South Korea.

I had a wonderful time in Korea to learn of its culture and an opportunity to watch Dong Yi, a famous Korean drama that is aired on their local television. The people in Korea are unfailingly courteous and polite people and they take pride in their country. It was a wonderful experience and if I ever get a chance to visit again, I will definitely visit the countryside and remote areas of Korea. Some of the goodies that I brought home.

Korean Trip: Myeong-dong

2010-08-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Myeong-dong market is another open market that caters mostly to the younger crowd. It is especially lively and pretty at night with the neon lights and the sellers standing outside shouting about bargains to attract shoppers. There are many quaint clothing stores, eateries, cafes and restaurants. It is indeed a fun place to visit if you like to shop for fashionable clothing, cosmetics and shoes.

Korean Trip: Namdaemon Market

2010-08-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Namdaemun, or south market is a busy street that opens early in the morning (7 am) and caters mostly to wholesalers. It is a large open area with wooden stalls that offers almost anything and everything. It is crowded and noisy with shoppers and sellers pushing their carts filled with homemade traditional goodies. A word of caution, bargaining is a not welcome here as the goods are reasonably cheaper than the department stores. If you have no intention of buying, don’t bargain as this is a taboo to the Korean, (especially in the morning), as they believed it is bad luck to their business for the rest of the day.

Korean Trip: Day Tour

2010-08-08T17:02:00.000-07:00

I took a day trip with the local tour company in downtown Seoul. They picked me up early in the morning at my hotel for a full-day of sightseeing. We started off visiting a local temple located in the heart of downtown. We didn't stay long, as the temple was crowded with buddhist devotees getting ready for a chanting ceremony. Instead we decided to have lunch, after a lunch of bibimbap and bulgogi on the eastern side of Seoul we continuted our bus ride to visit the Gingseng Center. Korea is famous for its red gingseng and a study reports that it reduce the incidence of cancer and is beneficial for those with allergies and diabetes. There were two large pillars that is filled with preserved gingseng and charts that depicts the growing stages of gingseng. We were given a tour and a sampling of the gingseng essence.

The tour also includes a grand tour of two Korean palaces, Changdeok and Kyongbokkung. Both of these palaces were quite similar in decor, surrounded with hundred year old pine trees. Changdeok Palace, or East Palace is located in downtown Seoul and is surrounded by a large park and a secret garden that was reserved for the women and for the royal family. This palace was declared part of the UNESCO World Heritage list in the late 90's. Kyongbokkung Palace, or Northern Palace is located in the northern part of Seoul. It was built in 1394 and was destroyed several times during the Japanese invasion, where only ten of its original 300 buildings were intact. In the courtyard, we were entertained by a group of musicians and a demonstration of Korean Rope Dancing, and the famous change of guard ceremony. The costumes are authentic and very colorful.

Towards the end of the trip we rode pass The Blue House, which is the Korean President House and a short visit to Namdaemon and Insadong markets. It was an interesting tour and I had a wonderful adventure.

Korea: Insadong Market

2010-08-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Insa-dong market is a colorful street lined with all kinds of neat stuff, such as souvenirs, local arts and crafts for tourists and the locals. It is also located near the famous Changdokgong palace, one of the largest palace in Korea. The palace is surrounded with many narrow cobblestone pathway where there are many quaint and charming shops that offer interesting eateries, cafes, and antiques. There are also many stalls that sells interesting food, such as local sweets, cakes and even silkworms. Fancy eating these critters!

It was by chance that I stumbled upon a museum of African art in one of the narrow alley. I didn’t think that the place would be much of a place until I climbed up the winding stairs to a decent looking museum. We were greeted by a pleasant girl who gave a brief tour of the place. There was a display of many handcrafted figures and hand tools from the different parts of Africa. She introduced me to the curator who showed me some of his collections.

There is this stall that was crowded with curious shoppers watching two guys demonstrating the making of Kkultarea, a Korean court sweet. It is a sweet candy that was once presented to the Korean kings and royalties. It is made out of of ripened honey and malt, filled with chopped nuts. The hardened honey is twisted and spun into thousand of tiny white strands to resembles a silky cobweb. The taste is sweet and chewy. It is best serve cold with hot tea. I took a video of the demonstration.

Korean Trip: Departmental Stores

2010-08-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

The Lotte and Shinsagea are two larger department stores in Korea. It is within walking distance in downtown Seoul. It is famous for brand names in quality shoes and clothing by local and foreign designers. The basement of the Lotte department store is an interesting place to visit if you are foodie. There are many variety of foodstuffs, such as ginseng, rice cakes, kimchi, fresh and dried produce, and international goodies. The salespeople are very courteous and cheerful, as they bowed and greet shoppers. I could spend the entire day on this floor and not get tired of things to see and experience. They even have a mouthwash machine and a small version of a men's toilet bowl in the ladies washroom. Fancy that!

Korean Trip: Itaewon

2010-08-08T12:00:00.000-07:00

Itaewon is by far the longest street and has many alleyways that offer quality leather wear, furs and clothing. Here you can get custom made clothing, bags in both leather and fine materials at a decent price. I found this little restaurant tugged in one of the quieter alley that served the best homemade bibimpap with side dishes on low tables. It is customary to remove your shoes and sit on cushions on the floor and eat on low table.

Congratulations Kwan and Steven!

2010-07-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely time this evening with the family to celebrate our son, Kwan and Steven's engagement at Daimo Restaurant. It was a shame that our daughter couldn't make it as she was out of town for work. However, it was nice that her boyfriend was able to come despite the long drive. It was wonderful to see everyone enjoying each other company over a few drinks and a meal together. I've made coconut candies and packed them into little Chinese take-out boxes for our guests. Here are a few pictures that I like to share. (Click on picture for a larger view)

A Virtual Birthday to a Foodie who loves Cows!

2010-06-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all the best and may your future shine bright, and your dreams come true! I've included a few of your favorite goodies and some silly songs. Have a wonderful birthday and we love you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKib6XKJNJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=rEc8rGonrQw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=xVzIGMqRznk&feature=related

A Virtual Happy Birthday to a Railway Buff/Enthusiast!

2010-05-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Click here to play song

A birthday is a joyous occasion and a gift of happiness and laughter. Wishing you a "Happy Birthday" by way of the Internet. To celebrate this occasion I've prepared your favorite Rice Pudding. The rice is simmered with almond milk, cinnamon and flavored with a splash of rose flower water. It may not be the greatest rice pudding, but it is prepared with much care and love :)

Bay to Breakers_2010

2010-05-16T22:45:00.000-07:00

Today my friends and I joined Bay to Breakers, a charity run/walk event held every year in San Francisco. I took the Bart train to the city to meet them in front of Hyatt Hotel near the Embarcadero Station. The Bart train was crowded with people going to the race and they even have special rates for the day. As usual, I was early and had a chance to see and feel the excitement before the start of the race. People were dressed in colorful costumes and outfits and for a moment it feels like Halloween. There was loud music playing and groups of people were already standing on the sidewalk with cameras trying to take pictures of the runners in their outfits. There were some interesting costumes and some clothing optional runners. The few that I like were the Avatar, the English Red Coats with the Union Jack flag, and Tetris. It was really amusing to watch such a large community of people congregating in a day. The fun part was when people started throwing flour tortillas up in the air at the beginning of the race, they were like little boomerangs and the roads were paved with it.

The weather was cloudy and cool which is perfect for the 7.5 mile walk, as I had dressed in layers with anticipation that it would be warm. I get to see the city on foot of places that we sometimes took for granted or had missed while driving. I didn't know there was a waterfall in Golden Gate Park---how did I miss it? Anyway, my friends and I did finish the walk in over 2.00 hours and we were famished when we got to the finished line. We had lunch in a nearby Thai restaurant in Ocean Beach. After which we took the bus back to Embarcadero and had some desserts and coffee in the Ferry Building before heading home. It was a really fun day and I would do it again…this time with an outfit perhaps. Here are some pictures of some of the costumes. (Click on pictures for a larger view)

Mother's Day Outing

2010-05-09T22:06:00.000-07:00

We spent the day in Martinez this Mother's Day. It was cloudy when we left in the morning and were famished when we got there. We found a nice breakfast place, called Victoria’s Café and decided to give it a try. The interior of the restaurant is styled like an old school soda pop shop with seating in bright red and swivel seats at the counter top. We ordered an egg Florentine and corn beef hash for breakfast. The portion of our meal was quite large for the price and our server was wonderful throughout our meal. We took a short walk and browse the few antique shops that happened to be opened. I found some really interesting items in one shop. It was an old Japanese bronze lantern with ornate carvings and the price was too much to pay. There was a few interesting vintage airplanes on displayed in a shop window and other tin toys. It’s a pity the shop was closed on Sundays. Despite the gloomy weather, I had a great time. Thanks, dear for an enjoyable day and the thoughtful gifts.

Mom's Cooking

2010-05-03T22:27:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I was on a cooking frenzy and spent most of the day in the kitchen. My kids are coming home for dinner. For the evening, I've prepared flambé sea bass with fennel, baked lemony-garlic chicken, fried collard greens with smoked apple bacon, and tiramisu. They brought home desserts---the ultimate killer macaroons and potted plants for our sidewalk. The three of us dug, trimmed, raked the weeds and covered the dirt with a landscape fabric and dark mulch. It looks nice and neat and it won't be long the new plants will grow and fill up the sidewalk. Thanks guys, for the thoughtful gifts and your hard work! Towards the end of the meal, I surprised them with a gift wrapped in a scrabble box. I had them fooled for a minute!

A Day at the Farm

2010-04-18T17:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Steven and I visited Kwan at Clark Summit farm in Tomales where he is apprenticing. On the way to his place, we took a scenic and idyllic route towards San Anselmo and Point Reyes. The weather was cool and the scenery with the rolling hills and lush greenery was great for a weekend getaway. We dropped by the feed store in Point Reyes to pick up some dried food for their chickens. I bought a couple of plants (Pacific Coast Iris and a cacti plant) from the nursery. It was almost noon when we got to his farm and was greeted by a billy goat by the front gate. As we drove up towards the entrance I saw pigs and several geese's roaming freely. I had to be careful not to step on the animal droppings and watched out for the animals. (mouse over pictures for larger view)

Kwan was happy riding on the farm 4-wheel hauling chicken food and was happy to see us. He took me for a ride on it and showed me the chicken houses where there are hundreds of laying hens roaming everywhere in the sprawling 160 acres land. The hen house was build with rows of laying boxes and rkedrinking water runs from the top from an automatic feeder. I saw some cows in the distance grazing on the other side of the mountain. I am amazed to see so many chickens and animals in one day.

We took him out to lunch at a local restaurant, famous for oysters. The ambience is warm and has an outside patio seating. The oysters comes served on a bed of rock salt and it is baked to perfection. Kwan had the pulled pork sandwich, Steven ordered the fried chicken with gravy, and I have the gumbo soup with okra. The waitresses were nice and service was efficient. After lunch, we decided to stay on the farm and help him finish his other chores. He took us in his truck to the chicken coops to collect the eggs in each of the boxes. We had to be careful not to be peck by the chickens when we collect the eggs as some of them are still brooding on the eggs. The eggs were still warm when I picked them.

They had to be washed before they are packed and shipped to the local stores. It was fun watching him feeding the eggs on a conveyor belt onto an automatic machine with brushes in one of the chamber to scrub the eggs. Then the cleaned eggs come out from the rear end to a small platform. Steven and I did the final inspection before putting the cleaned ones in the wire basket and store them in the cooler for the final inspection.

On the way home we stopped at Lala's Creamery in Petaluma for sundaes. Yummy--licious!

Stained Glass

2010-04-15T00:00:00.000-07:00

Recently I took up a new hobby in stained glass art sculpture. I stumbled upon it one day on my way to work, and I was fascinated with the artwork on display in the shop window. After much anticipation, I dropped by to enroll in the class. I was given three patterns to pick from, and I chose this design because the Chinese believes that bamboo signifies resilience, happiness, wealth and longevity.

After making my glass selection for the pattern, I was taught how to cut and numbered the glass to the shapes of the pattern template. Then each piece of glass is grinded and shaped to fit to the lead came with nails to anchor each frame. The fun part is fusing each joint with a hot iron rod and solder made of tin and lead. When both sides have been soldered the joints are brushed with gluey black putty on all the joints. Then sawdust are spread on top and scrubbed vigorously with a brush to remove the excess putty on the glass. I must admit the class is a long process but the end result is quite satisfying.

Dinner's Ready!

2010-04-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

When I came home from work tonight, the house smells nice and it makes me hungry. My hubby has already started cooking dinner for both of us tonight. There on the stove was a pot of piping hot chilli bean and rice boiling away in the rice cooker. What a lovely surprise!

A Marathon Meal

2010-04-05T20:59:00.000-07:00

A friend from my knitting meetup group said that it is impossible that anyone can prepare a meal in less than an hour. My reply was that I've been doing it for years when the kids were young at school. After picking up the kids from the babysitter, I am off to the kitchen to prepare dinner and it often takes me less than an hour. The meals that I cooked were mostly wholesome and simple home cooked dishes. I am glad my kids are not picky eaters. Tonight I finished the meal in 45-minutes including cleaning up and taking pictures for this installation. I cooked Assam fish with okra, stir fried shredded potato, and served with brown rice. Even John is impressed. So my friend, nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it!

English Vocabulary

2010-03-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Would you like to brush up on your English vocabulary and earn points for rice to feed the poor? I stumbled upon this website on NPR. It is a fun and interactive learning tool for students and/or adults who wants to practice on their vocabulary words. The website is FreeRice, try it for fun and pass the word around.

Weekend with the kids!

2010-03-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was a busy time for us-filled with spontaneous events and a day's worth of driving. On Saturday morning we got up early to drive up to meet my daughter, Melissa in Davis. Then we rode in their car to Bok Eye Temple in Marysville, known to be one of the oldest temple in California. It is a 2-day event to celebrate the birthday of Bok Eye, the water god. The city of Marysville celebrates this every year with dragon dance and parades. People from neighboring cities come to pray and make offerings. It was quite early when we arrived as people were just beginning to set up their booths and there were only a handful of worshippers leaving the temple. It didn't took us long to stand in line to pay for our joss-sticks. We placed our offerings (fruits and oil) on the main table in front of the God and Goddesses and went around placing three joss-sticks in each of the urns before each deity. After visiting the temple we drove back to Davis to pick up our car, and spent some time at the Davis farmer's market before heading home. We were tired when we got home and were almost ready to take a nap--when we got a call from our son, Kwan asking us if we could pick up some chicks and starter kit from the local feed store. So, the three of us got into the car again, and drove to the feed store picked up two chicks, feed and bedding and then headed over to San Francisco. In return of the favor, they took us out to lunch at Yummy Yummy--a great place for Vietnamese food! We had mussels in a spicy bean sauce, chicken crepe, beef stew with tomato, and noodles. The service was quick and well prepared. Thank you, that was awfully nice!

The following day, Melissa and John drove to San Francisco to the California Academy of Sciences. I've decided to stay home to cook and have the house all to myself. I made beef stew with red wine for dinner and did some gardening. That evening after dinner, Melissa and Marcus made Soufflé with Grand Marnier crème anglaise. The soufflé puffed up beautifully and the crème anglaise was just superb! It's indeed a wonderful weekend--I couldn't have asked for more!

Cookbook Madness!

2010-03-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite past times is spending time in bookstores. I enjoy reading recipes and looking at pictures of the food illustrations featured in cookbooks. Some of the recipes are so captivating that I feel like going home and whipping up the dishes that inspire me. I love to collect cookbooks as each one of them has its own specialty and uniqueness in both their style and origins. In my opinion, no one is better or less so than the other. Here are a sampling of my collection.

Entertaining
The Way to Cook
Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook
Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles Cookbook: Strategies, Recipes, and Techniques of Classic Bistro Cooking [ANTHONY BOURDAINS LES HALLES C]
Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes
Italy's 500 Best-ever Recipes
Omelettes, Souffles & Frittatas
The Book of Sauces (Book of...)
The Essential Dessert Cookbook (Konemann)
Mediterranean: Food Of The Sun
Food of Malaysia: Authentic Recipes from the Crossroads of Asia (Periplus World Food Series)
Southeast Asian Specialties: A Culinary Journey Through Singapore, Malasia and Indonesia (Culinaria)
The Chinese Herbal Cookbook: Healing Foods from East and West
James McNair's Potato Cookbook
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
500 Chinese Recipes
Food of Indonesia (P) (Food of the World Cookbooks)
The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant
Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home
Jacques Pepin's Kitchen: Encore With Claudine
The New American Plate Cookbook: Recipes for a Healthy Weight and a Healthy Life
The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery
One Bite at Time, revised cloth
Smoothies: 50 Recipes for High-Energy Refreshment

Native American Legend: Two Wolves

2010-03-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

At our monthly meeting today, our company's director read us something that was contributed by our longtime user, Marianne Murphy. It is an inspirational story--a gentle reminder for those of us who are sometimes lost in our busy lives to reevaluate our thoughts. It's a story about two wolves.

One evening an old Cherokee told his granddaughter about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My child, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generousity, truth, compassion and faith."
The granddaughter thought about it for a minute and then asked her grandfather: "Which wolf wins?"
The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
Credits: Photo and story are kind courtesy from First People, Native American, First People is a child friendly site about Native Americans and members of the First Nations. 1400+ legends, 400+ agreements and treaties, 10,000+ pictures, free clipart, Pueblo pottery, American Indian jewelry, Native American Flutes and more.

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Today is St. Patrick's Day, a day celebrated widely by Irish and non-Irish. In Ireland, it is celebrated as a religious holiday as well, as many Irish attend mass to offer prayers for missionaries worldwide before the celebration begins. Traditionally, on this day many people wear green-colored clothing or jewelry. Those not wearing green will be pinched. The all-time popular dish is cornbeef with cabbage, potatoes, carrots and simmered in spices. A simple dish to prepare and have all the time to drink and be merry. Here's a snippet of the saying:

Dance as if no one were watching,

Sing as if no one were listening,
And live every day as if it were your last.

A Cuban Affair

2010-03-04T21:46:00.000-08:00

Tonight after finishing our errands in Walnut Creek, we decided to have dinner before heading home as it is our regular night out. We drove around the main street in downtown looking for a parking space and finally we found a space right in front of Havana, a Cuban restaurant. Oh, well we thought, might as well as we had dinner a couple of times in the other restaurant located in Alameda. It was also the first time that I've tasted Mojito, which is a combination of rum, soda water with either lemon, mint, or fruits. Quite nice! The ambiance is upbeat and cozy--the service is quick and the food's interesting and colorful. I especially like the fried plantain, black bean soup, and Ceviche, a citrus marinated seafood. It’s a good place to be for a change.

Chinese New Year Celebration-Finale!

2010-02-28T23:57:00.000-08:00

Today is the 15th day and is also the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration. It is also known as the Lantern Festival. It is believed that the God of Destiny rises to fulfill people desires and the Goddess of the sea is ready to accept wishes. In the olden days, unmarried maidens would toss oranges to the river in hope to find a husband in the near future. I remembered telling my mother that someone at the end of the river is getting rich with all the oranges flowing downstream. She laughed and joked that I should grab a basket and that I might even find my future husband downstream. It's so funny and I missed her whenever I think about it.
Whatever it is, this is yet another opportunity to get together and enjoy a dinner with family members. Tonight I've prepared the following: sweet and sour pork ribs; pan-fried fish with cilantro sauce; and fragrant mango prawns. Kwan made cream puffs with mascarpone cream for dessert. (Mouse over red text for recipes)

Chinese New Year: 7th Day Celebration!

2010-02-20T22:48:00.000-08:00

On the 7th day of Chinese New Year, also known to Chinese as 人日(pinyin: Ren Le), or "Yan Yat" in Cantonese. It literally means birthday of all humans. Legend has it that the Chinese God made all kinds of creatures in seven days, a different kind each day in this order: chicken; dog; pig; goat; cow/ox; horse; human. Thus today is the birthday of all humans! To celebrate this day, my mother would prepare either a dinner that consists of 7 good luck dishes or a Chinese Raw Fish Salad or "Yee Sang." The word, "Yee" is Cantonese for fish and it means abundance, and the word "Sang" sounds like birth in Cantonese. It is a symbolic and auspicious dish for this occasion. (Mouse over bold text to see recipe)

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-02-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Last week I took the train up to Oregon to celebrate my birthday with my daughter, Melissa. She showed me around her campus and introduced me to her friends and professors. Incidentally, one of her friend is celebrating her birthday and invited us to a wine tasting dinner party at King Estate Winery. It was a hugh mansion on the hills located southwest of Eugene. We had a nice time tasting a couple of their signature wines while we were waiting for our table. Since there were seven of us, each of us ordered a different entree and passed it around to share. Obviously, her friends are foodies who enjoyed eating and fine dining.

The apartment that my daugther is staying is a short distance from her campus and the train station. It was a quaint two-story building with separate entrance located at the front and back. She has a black cat that reminds me of our cat, Ebony. We were glad that the weather was sunny and cool as I was packed ready for the rain.

We walked around her neighborhood and downtown to browse at vintage and antique shops. There was this lovely antique shop, called Pewter Rabbit that has a great selection of French and English antiquities and jewelry. I saw a handsome desk with a drop leaf on display in the front window. Thank you Melissa, I had a jolly good time!

An Early Birthday at Jeanita's!

2010-02-16T13:53:00.000-08:00

My two closest friends, Jeanita and Wendy celebrated my birthday a week in advance this year. Jeanita prepared a splendid eight-course meal for me, and Wendy bought me a cocoa cream sponge cake. The dishes are Jeanita's authentic dishes--sweet and sour ribs; stuffed cucumbers; Chinese roast pork; noodles with Chinese bacon soup; stir-fry mixed vegetables; braised fish maw with abalone; fragrant mango prawns; and my favorite red beans with tangerine peel sweet soup.

We were so stuffed that we can hardly eat another slice of cake. How wonderful to have friends like them---awesome! Thank you Jeanita and Wendy for your generous and thoughtful gifts. I had a wonderful time!

Kung Hee Fatt Choy!

2010-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

"Kung Hee Fatt Choy" in Cantonese literary means wishing you happiness and prosperity! Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival is the celebration of new beginnings and good tidings. It is a 15-days celebration, and each day has a memorable meaning for each the 12 animals and Chinese deities’. This is the year of the Tiger and it also coincides with Valentine's Day--A double happiness!

Families from far and near would come home to be with their parents for a reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year. The feast is a display of foods of good fortune and each dish has a symbolic and auspicious meaning. Before the Chinese New Year day, homes are dusted and cleaned, and old debts or quarrels should be resolved. The use of brooms, scissors and knives are avoided on the first day of the New Year. It is believed that sweeping on this day will sweeps away good fortune.

The house is decorated with colorful fresh flowers, Chinese Calligraphy, and basketful of tangerines and oranges to welcome the Lunar New Year. During this time, we try our best not to wear clothing in black or white. Even to this day I tell my kids not to wash their hair on the first day of the year.

Personally, I think if we were to follow the old traditional way---we would have to take the entire 15 days off work as everyday is a celebration of something. In these modern times, we do our best and enjoy our time with families and friends.

So, here's wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Valentine's Day! For recipes to some of the festive dishes, click here.

Dragon Fruits Anyone?

2010-01-28T14:37:00.001-08:00

Dragon fruit or Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus) is an exotic fruit grown in Southeast Asia, Mexico, and some parts of South America. It is related to the cactus family. The fruit comes in either white or red flesh with small black seeds. Dragon fruit is nutritious--low in calories with Vitamin A, B, and C, phosphorus. The taste is slightly sweet and crunchy, almost like eating a kiwi fruit. To eat it, you slice it in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon. I bought a couple rootings from Ebay and they are adjusting well in my greenhouse.

An Early Thanksgiving!

2010-01-22T10:58:00.000-08:00

I have the day off today and guess what I love doing most? Blogging of cos! I found these pictures taken November last year of us celebrating an early Thanksgiving dinner at Steven's house. Kwan was home for a visit from Philippines--another wonderful opportunity for a cookout!

Kwan's making a Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Pumpkin and Grilled Onion Salad

Blow torch for caramelizing...way to go!

Duckie Bag

2010-01-19T19:35:00.000-08:00

I was cleaning out my daughter, Melissa's stuff in the closet the other day. Guess what I found? It is a bag that I had made for her when she was a high school junior. It melts my heart that she still keeps it. Something about ducks and buttons that fascinates her. I still remembered fondly how she love the color, pink and bunnies when she was little. It will be fun to show this to her kids someday.

Brunch-Dim Sum!

2010-01-18T18:52:00.000-08:00

It was really sweet of Kwan and Steven to invite us to Dim Sum yesterday. We wouldn't miss it for the world! We went to Yank Sing in San Francisco, famous for its traditional and modern Dim Sum. In Chinese, Dim Sum literally translated means "to touch the heart". Many of the dishes that we ordered were well presented and tasty. I especially like their Shanghai Steamed Dumplings and the Braised Sea Bass. The snow white flesh is tender and smooth--it's practically melts in your mouth. If you want to impress your parents--this is one of the place :) For dessert, we stopped by Patisserie Philippe, a fancy dessert and specialty pastry shop for macarons. They were nice enough to serve us even though they were about to close for the day. They have macarons of all colors and flavors. Thank you--Steven and Kwan for a wonderful afternoon!

Happy Birthday, John!

2010-01-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

Today is John's birthday--and the weather is not too compromising! It's overcast and 56°F, so we are just going to dinner and perhaps movie afterwards. I am taking him to Zephyr's for his favorite Meatloaf!

Butternut Squash Soup

Grilled Pear Salad with Spiced Pecans and Blue Cheese

Molasses Glazed Meatloaf

BBQ Tiger Shrimps with Rice Pilaf

Foodie---our night out!

2010-01-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

The title pretty sums it all---Food! Despite our busy schedule, John and I take a day of the week as our nite out. We would either go to our regular restaurant or try something new, and after dinner it's either to a movie, bookstore or grab a movie on the way home. Tonight we've decided to have Chinese cuisine at Koi Garden, a restaurant which you would want to impress your guests. I've enjoyed the meal, Thanks John!

A warm cup of tea!

Shredded chicken and Corn Soup

Pan-fried dumplings

Beef with orange sauce

Braised eggplant and tofu clay pot

Birthdays!

2010-01-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

Sorting through my files, I found some of these pictures taken from my last year birthday. The kids took me to Cha Cha Cha in San Francisco. I thought it would be fun to do a collage of it as I find some more......here are just a few for now.

Happy New Year 2010!

2010-01-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year 2010! What is the best food to ring in the first day of the year? Aside from the festive foods with wine and all its trimmings, my way of celebrating is my FAVORITE fruit---Durian, the King of Fruits. The flesh is smooth and creamy and ever so delicious! To some people it is a scary fruit with spiky thorns and its strong and pungent fragrant. Yet to some, especially me it's the most del......icious thing to eat. The durian contains a high amount of sugar and traces of vitamin C, potassium, and tryptophan (the amino acid found in eating turkey).

The fruit is consider having warming properties or "heaty" and is advise not to drink alcohol after eating the fruit. To counteract the heatiness is to pour drinking water into the empty shell and drink it. The other alternative is to eat the durian in accompaniment with mangosteen, which is considered to have cooling properties. The durian hawkers in Malaysia often sells mangosteens side by side with the durians. It is also advised for pregnant woman to not consume durian as it will give prickly heat to the newborn. My motto for the New Year is" everything in moderation."

Christmas Gifts

2009-12-30T21:14:00.000-08:00

Santa's been wonderful to me this year! My kids and friends gave me some very thoughtful gifts: Kwan and Steven made me a Terranium; Melissa made me a mirror from an aluminium pie pan, a homemade scrub, and a Chinese Character book; John made me a wooden plaque with a picture of a chicken he cut out from our chicken feed bag; Marcus got me a camilla shrub and a morocan lamp; a hand crafted ceramic bowl from Al and Micky, and lastly Jeanita gave me a nice chinaware and a teapot. I am truly blessed and thankful--and will treasured their gifts forever! Some pictures to share.

Shopping in San Francisco

2009-12-30T10:36:00.000-08:00

Kwan and Steven took me shopping in the city a week before Christmas and Kwan has our itinerary all planned out for the day. First stop-- Floral Grubb, a garden store tucked away in a quiet neighborhood. They have a wonderful selection of succulents and Tillandsia (air plants). I loved how they used canvas tote as a planter box on the fence. Next we visited OrchidMania, a non-profit organization run by volunteers. Orchids were donated by amateurs and professional growers and 100% of the proceed in sales goes to support grassroots Aids relief organizations in the U.S, Central America, and Southeast Asia. They have all kinds of orchids from minature to ones with large exotic flowers. If we had space in our car--we would have bought more plants. One of my favorite is a Brassaviola with pretty white scented flowers and a miniature orchid on a bark. Our final stop was the Antique Mall, with over 200 booths of antiques and collectibles! I found some lovely chinaware and silver. I had a really fantastic afternoon--thanks to the both of you!

Christmas Eve--2009!

2009-12-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

Last year we had a nice Christmas Eve Potluck dinner at my friend, Jeanita's house. We had alot of fun with the kids and their friends. So this year I've decided to host it at our house. Each of our guests brought a dish and a gift for the white elephant gift exchange. It was fun taking turns to open the surprise gifts. We had plenty of food and goodies. The festive spread was Smoked Salmon with Endives, Shrimp Tempura, Steamed Spiced Duck, Cuban Chicken Stew, Roast Pork Florentine with Pomegranate Sauce, Beans with Tomato Salad, and for dessert, a Black Forest Cake and homemade Eggnog. (Mouse over bold text for recipes)

Straits-Born Chinese

2009-09-06T20:07:00.001-07:00

Shall I interest you to a Peranakan culture and history? Nonyas or “Strait-born Chinese” or "Peranakan” are descendants of earlier settlers in Penang and Malacca. The origin of Peranakan dated back to around the 15th century. A Chinese princess of the Ming dynasty left China to marry the Sultan of Malacca. Trading between the two countries expanded and a lot of Chinese traders worked in the Malacca sn Penang, and Singapore. Some of them settled down and married with the local Malay women. The children of these mixed marriages generally married pure Chinese or children of other Straits-born Chinese, thus greatly diluted any Malay blood they may have had. The women, known as Nyonya or Nonyas, and the men, “Babas” Depending on where they were originated, they generally spoke a mix of Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese, or Hakka dialects. My children, Kwan and Melissa’s grandparents were Nyonyas and Babas.

They dressed in modified Malay style, the kebaya (an elaborate embroidered top) and sarong (skirt). Their cuisine is combined of both Chinese and Malay in the kitchen—richly spiced and fragrant. To name a few of the popular dishes: Acar Awal; Beef Rendang; Kiam Chai Ark; Tau Ewe Bak; Lam Mee; Loh Bak; Nasi Lemak; Rempah Udang; Ang Ku Kuih, Kuih Pi Tee, and much more. (Mouse over red text for recipes)

Like most traditional old-fashioned Chinese, the elders are strict in their household. Girls are taught how to sew, cook, and have grace, poise and etiquette. Marriage are mostly arranged by the parents in those days. The best place to visit is Malacca and Penang in Malaysia. A recent hit movie depicts the lifestyle of a true Nyonya. Enjoy!

Summer Fun

2009-07-31T14:58:00.000-07:00

When my daughter was an undergraduate at UC Davis, she stayed in a Cooperative Housing unit where the students raise chickens, bees and a vegetable garden. There I saw how they use rocks to mark their vegetables. This give me an idea-----I painted these on river rocks with inspiration wordings to display around the front yard.

Besides my knitting, I am also learning how to needle felt with wool roving. I showed it to my daughter, Melissa and she was quite taken by it. On her first attempt, she needle felted a dog holding the ship, Enterprise. It is so cute!

Felted dog with Enterprise

This is Jim!

Imitation to QVC--Rice Marketing!

2009-05-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

When John is not serious, he is funny and can come up with a silly story in a fly. Give him a few words and he is quick to utilized them in a story. Here is a one of the few videos that I have taken with my camera. I find it hard to keep the camera still as I was laughing so much. Nevertheless, it was really hilarious and funny.

Birds Apartment/Co-Op

2009-04-20T22:38:00.001-07:00

Last Spring, a pair of purple finches builds a home under the roof in our front bedroom. I watched them from far to see how they busied themselves making several trips back and forth with dried twigs and flowers to build their nest. A few weeks later, John and I climbed up to take some closed up pictures of their nest. We found 5 blue spotted eggs. It was the prettiest color eggs! I was so excited and tempted to secure a web camera on the wall. I am sure the birds would like that or is there such a thing as bird privacy! The female bird would sit very still each morning to keep her eggs warm. On one occasion, I was about two feet away looking up and saw her very STILL and I thought she was dead. She didn't even stir or even blink--nearby the father bird is watching closely though. It was really fun for awhile and sad to see them gone. In hope that they will come back, I make sure the water in the fountain is clean and their feeder is filled with Niger seeds. This year, same time a pair of the same kind found the nest and started building a nicer and larger home. I also noticed directly on top, another bird family makes a nest in the gutter under one of the roof tiles. How very innovative and smart of them! So now I have a little bird apartment complex up on my roof--what a blessing!

Cookout at Steven's

2009-04-04T23:00:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had a little gathering at Steven's house for Kwan and his friends. I'd prepared a combination of Malaysian, Indian, and Cantonese dishes: Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce; Fresh Spring Rolls/Popiah; Siamese Laksa; Beef Rendang; Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs; BBQ Tandoori Chicken; Sweet Potato in Coconut Cream/Bubor Cha2; and Baked Cassava. (Mouse over bold text for recipes)

Chinese New Year 2009

2009-01-25T17:09:00.000-08:00

We had a grand time this Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. Our kids are coming home with their friends to enjoy a meal with us. To celebrate the year of the Ox, I've prepared a traditional ten course meal, with auspicous meanings and good luck. For dessert, Steven baked a carrot cake and Marcus a chocolate cheesecake. We had so much food and leftovers to go! Here's the menu: New Year Salad; Lotus Root with Red Dates Soup; Loh Hon Chye; Steamed Pomfret; Baby Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce; Spicy Crab; Spicy Fragrant Prawns; Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs; Chicken Rice; and Desserts. (Mouse over bold text for recipes)